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The Apartment Switch - Switch One Rules and Discussion
IllusoryThrall
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Welcome to Switch One of the Apartment Switch Challenge. I separated each Switch out so as to allow people who don't want spoilers to avoid them. This is a text version of what to do to get through Switch One, if you have any questions, I have more of a picture tutorial on Switch One on my website.
The Main Rules and Getting Started info:
Please read The Main Rules and Info post here on the forums or on my website Here before reading this post. How to get set up for this first challenge is described there, as well as detailing all of the rules that all switches follow. When you're ready to continue, just come back here to read on.
The Apartment Switch: Switch One
Now that your starter sim is all ready to go, you’re ready to play the first Switch. Your “job” now is to make money.. because all you have for your sim is a blank apartment and no funds. If you’re playing on extreme difficulty, you don’t even have any walls in your new apartment!
You now have two goals:
So – your first order of business is to make money. In this switch, how you do so is completely your choice, and that’s where the fun begins.
First, I’ll explain the heir, then I’ll explain what you have to do to complete each apartment to get to the last apartment and “win” this Switch.
The Heir:
The Apartments:
Of Note on all Apartment listings:
Apartment One: 910 Medina Studios
This starter apartment is a real dump. It’s designed for 1 bedroom 1 bath, and there’s no room for more! Plus, there’s rats, roaches, wiring and plumbing issues and sometimes a nasty green goo oozing out of the grate in the floor. It’s also quick and easy to get to the target value. You can move on pretty much as soon as you get there – without saving any extra money – so you won’t have to deal with this apartment for too long!
Once you get to the target value, you’re ready to move your sim to the next lot. Using your sim’s phone, click on the “car” icon, then “Move Household”. Choose the 19 Culpepper House apartment and then click the moving van in the lower right-hand corner of your screen. Then, if you’re playing on Normal difficulty, choose the “sell furniture” and “unfurnished” options. If you’re playing on Extreme difficulty, instead of “unfurnished”, choose “bulldoze” (although it should already be bulldozed from your bulldozing spree before starting this challenge.)
Apartment Two: 19 Culpepper House
This is a considerable upgrade from your last house. Designed for 2 bedrooms 1 bath, there’s even a nice sized balcony! It still has the rats, roaches, and wiring and plumbing issues, but at least you have some room to actually decorate. Also a plus is the fact that you should have quite a “nest egg” from moving to buy furnishings.
Apartment Three: 121 Hakim House
This apartment is designed for 2 bedroom 2 bath.. and has this really weird wall with a door in it that you can totally walk around. What EA was thinking, I have no idea.. but there’s also a wall in the foyer outside the apartment that they missed painting (it’s got drywall on it.) Pretty funny, really. Furnishing this apartment is a breeze with nicely-sized rooms and a good layout. If you’re playing on Extreme, there’s plenty of room to move the walls around.
Apartment Four: IX Landgraab
This apartment is the first real building challenge for people playing on “Extreme” difficulty. You’ve got two floors to play with, and no real guidelines. Originally 1 bedroom 2 bath, this also poses a problem for those on “Normal” difficulty and you might very well find that you want to move the wall configuration around to make one of the upstairs rooms a second bedroom. (Which is perfectly alright for you to do!) Tip: Depending on your family size, you may want to save some extra simoleons before moving in, as with only about 8k to spend on furniture, it may be a little tight. The target value on this apartment will take some work to get to, but it’s completely do-able.
The Community Lot - The Arts Center
If you’re doing the challenge on Extreme difficulty, as soon as you hit 40k value with your apartment, you're free to go build your very own Arts Center. This also opens this lot for traveling to (so long as you have 250 or more in the bank). You'll be building your art center on the Casbah Gallery lot in San Myshuno.
If you’ve never built your own venue, there’s no time like the present to learn. The requirements screen in the top left lot traits menu is really helpful at telling you what you need to make your lot work. Beyond that, it’s all up to you. Have fun with it and name it whatever you’d like.
Finishing this Switch
Once you have 40k minimum in value on your apartment, you only need to raise your heir to the Young Adult age. Once your heir has this birthday, pause immediately and save your game. You’ll want to have as much time for the next challenge as possible.
You did it! Now that you have your just-aged-up Young Adult heir, and you completed the above apartments, you are now ready to move to the next Switch. I’ll show you how to accomplish this in the next Switch page/post.
----> Go to Switch Two
The Main Rules and Getting Started info:
Please read The Main Rules and Info post here on the forums or on my website Here before reading this post. How to get set up for this first challenge is described there, as well as detailing all of the rules that all switches follow. When you're ready to continue, just come back here to read on.
The Apartment Switch: Switch One
Now that your starter sim is all ready to go, you’re ready to play the first Switch. Your “job” now is to make money.. because all you have for your sim is a blank apartment and no funds. If you’re playing on extreme difficulty, you don’t even have any walls in your new apartment!
You now have two goals:
- To get your apartment value up to within the target funds amount (That’s explained in a minute) and move to the next apartment until you’ve completed four apartments.
- To have your heir ready to start the next Switch.
So – your first order of business is to make money. In this switch, how you do so is completely your choice, and that’s where the fun begins.
First, I’ll explain the heir, then I’ll explain what you have to do to complete each apartment to get to the last apartment and “win” this Switch.
The Heir:
- Must be made via “try for baby” with your starter sim and another sim who lives on your lot. They don’t have to be married, just living together.
- Is the first born child to your main sim. Should this heir die, because you can play everyone, the next oldest child would now be the heir.
- Cannot be adopted, a vampire, or alien birth (in other words, it needs to be a biological child born to two parents.)
- Must stop play as soon as they age to Young Adult.. so if they get there before you have the apartment value completed, you’ll have to wait for the next generation to move on instead! (If you’re playing for points, this will get you a whopping -50 points, so avoid it if at all possible.)
The Apartments:
Of Note on all Apartment listings:
- I show the walls-cutaway pictures of what they look like when moved in on the Normal, “unfurnished” difficulty. For those playing on Extreme, feel free to use them as a guide – or not. Part of the fun of playing on extreme is being able to configure the apartment however you’d like.
- When figuring out how much you’ll have to spend, the formula is as follows: previous apartment value – weekly rent – apartment deposit = what you’ll have to spend when you move in (add to this anything you have saved in your sim’s bank.) If it comes out as a negative number, it means you’ll have to save up money before moving in because you won’t be able to afford the purchase price.
- The bedrooms/baths number I list is what EA built when they furnished their lot. By no means is that what you have to build. Feel free to change the configuration as much as you like within the confines of the shell you’re given.
- Remember, if your rent bill has come due, you must pay it BEFORE you move – you can’t get out of paying rent by moving to the next apartment.
- Also, You are not required to stay at least a week in each apartment – if you have the apartment value up and are ready to move, feel free to move!
Apartment One: 910 Medina Studios
- District: Arts Quarter
- Lot Trait: Needs TLC
- Rent per week: 400
- Deposit: 500
- Target Value: 8,000-10,000 simoleons
This starter apartment is a real dump. It’s designed for 1 bedroom 1 bath, and there’s no room for more! Plus, there’s rats, roaches, wiring and plumbing issues and sometimes a nasty green goo oozing out of the grate in the floor. It’s also quick and easy to get to the target value. You can move on pretty much as soon as you get there – without saving any extra money – so you won’t have to deal with this apartment for too long!
Once you get to the target value, you’re ready to move your sim to the next lot. Using your sim’s phone, click on the “car” icon, then “Move Household”. Choose the 19 Culpepper House apartment and then click the moving van in the lower right-hand corner of your screen. Then, if you’re playing on Normal difficulty, choose the “sell furniture” and “unfurnished” options. If you’re playing on Extreme difficulty, instead of “unfurnished”, choose “bulldoze” (although it should already be bulldozed from your bulldozing spree before starting this challenge.)
Apartment Two: 19 Culpepper House
- District: Spice Market
- Lot Trait: Needs TLC
- Rent per week: 600
- Deposit: 550
- Minimum Move In Amount: 8,000 - 600 - 550 = you'll have about 6,850 to spend on furniture.
- Target Value: 16,000-18,000 simoleons
This is a considerable upgrade from your last house. Designed for 2 bedrooms 1 bath, there’s even a nice sized balcony! It still has the rats, roaches, and wiring and plumbing issues, but at least you have some room to actually decorate. Also a plus is the fact that you should have quite a “nest egg” from moving to buy furnishings.
Apartment Three: 121 Hakim House
- District: Arts Quarter
- Lot Trait: Home Studio
- Rent per week: 1,200
- Deposit: 4,800
- Minimum Move In Amount: 16,000 - 1,200 - 4,800 = about 10,000 to spend on furniture
- Target Value: 28,000-30,000 simoleons
This apartment is designed for 2 bedroom 2 bath.. and has this really weird wall with a door in it that you can totally walk around. What EA was thinking, I have no idea.. but there’s also a wall in the foyer outside the apartment that they missed painting (it’s got drywall on it.) Pretty funny, really. Furnishing this apartment is a breeze with nicely-sized rooms and a good layout. If you’re playing on Extreme, there’s plenty of room to move the walls around.
Apartment Four: IX Landgraab
- District: Uptown
- Lot Trait: Great View
- Rent per week: 3,750
- Deposit: 16,500
- Minimum Move In Amount: 28,000 - 3750 - 16500 = about 7,750 to spend on furniture
- Target Value: 40,000+ simoleons (there's no value cap on any final house, so feel free to decorate as much as you want!)
This apartment is the first real building challenge for people playing on “Extreme” difficulty. You’ve got two floors to play with, and no real guidelines. Originally 1 bedroom 2 bath, this also poses a problem for those on “Normal” difficulty and you might very well find that you want to move the wall configuration around to make one of the upstairs rooms a second bedroom. (Which is perfectly alright for you to do!) Tip: Depending on your family size, you may want to save some extra simoleons before moving in, as with only about 8k to spend on furniture, it may be a little tight. The target value on this apartment will take some work to get to, but it’s completely do-able.
The Community Lot - The Arts Center
If you’re doing the challenge on Extreme difficulty, as soon as you hit 40k value with your apartment, you're free to go build your very own Arts Center. This also opens this lot for traveling to (so long as you have 250 or more in the bank). You'll be building your art center on the Casbah Gallery lot in San Myshuno.
If you’ve never built your own venue, there’s no time like the present to learn. The requirements screen in the top left lot traits menu is really helpful at telling you what you need to make your lot work. Beyond that, it’s all up to you. Have fun with it and name it whatever you’d like.
Finishing this Switch
Once you have 40k minimum in value on your apartment, you only need to raise your heir to the Young Adult age. Once your heir has this birthday, pause immediately and save your game. You’ll want to have as much time for the next challenge as possible.
You did it! Now that you have your just-aged-up Young Adult heir, and you completed the above apartments, you are now ready to move to the next Switch. I’ll show you how to accomplish this in the next Switch page/post.
----> Go to Switch Two
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Either post here or message me on the forums.
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OK so I have some technical questions. I started playing last night and it just felt so weird. I haven't played anything NON Drifter in almost two years now. hehe I tried to find the answers among the rules, setup, & first switch page, but am still a little in the dark.
1. So there are no restrictions on how we make money? They can have a job? All careers are acceptable? Can they sell the paintings that are just left on the easels on the square in Illusie's above pic? (It seemed like such easy money that it had to be cheating.)
2. Playing the extreme difficulty, are we restricted on where we can travel? Can we venture outside of the Art District to another part of San Myshuno? What about going to other towns or community lots?
3. When they get an invite from a townie are they allowed to go?
4. And for when I reach that point... even though we can control everyone, the next heir can't have more than 3 skill points per skill. What it they autonomously gain extra?
Sorry for being asking so many questions, but I'm a color inside the lines kinda gal when it comes to rules.
I can't wait to show y'all my founder! I spent forever setting up a new blog for this yesterday. (only to basically stick with the same format my Ramblers have) *sigh*
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
No restrictions at all. If you can make money doing it, feel free. Making money off those paintings, so far, I still haven't decided. It seems like some sims can sell them, while others can't, which is making me wonder if I shouldn't ban it for everyone. I have definitely had some sims that can't sell them, they just have an option to BUY the painting, not sell. It's very confusing. What do you guys think? Should we ban it?
Normal difficulty has no restrictions on travel at all. Extreme, however restricts travel to the now-empty commercial lots in San Myshuno. You can travel to the other districts of the city, but choose an apartment building to do so. Also, make sure you have at least 250 in the bank before traveling to any of the other neighborhoods or houses and apartments. If you're invited out, say, to a festival, you're welcome to go. I think travel to festivals automatically sends you to the empty commercial lots, but since there's nothing there now, it shouldn't pose too much of a problem. Do remember that, since you can't go to those commercial lots, you can't complete the City Native aspiration (it requires travel to the Art Center.)
I should have taken that rule out. It's next to impossible to enforce and still have a possible heir. Where did you see that rule so I can remove it?
No, questions are good. Don't even worry about asking too many. They help me get the challenge to an understandable state for everyone. If you have a question, please ask it so I can clarify the rules as much as possible. Plus, if you have a question, odds are, someone else may have the same question. Thanks for giving the challenge a try, Allie! I hope you like it!
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My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
@AllieMac yay! That will be fun to do this together!!
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I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
Here's the intro to my "non" story. I won't even tell y'all how long I spent setting up the new blog and playing with layouts, just to end up going back to my Drifter layout. I'll add the challenge link, etc. tomorrow.
I hope y'all like it!
The Trials of Miss Alora Darcy
Having grown up with every luxury imaginable, Alora Darcy finds herself in completely unfamiliar waters.
“If only mother and father had delayed their trip for one day, I wouldn’t be in this mess. I’d be residing in a luxurious penthouse apartment in the most cosmopolitan city in the world like planned. But no. They decided to close the houses, send all the servants on leave, and start their vacation on the very same day that I departed,” she thought.
A silver spoon is lost in... 1. The Trials of Miss Alora Darcy
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
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http://illusie.weebly.com/apartment-switch/chapter-1101
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@illusorythrall I have a couple of questions too.
Going back to the traveling. Once she has 250 saved up, I can travel anywhere I want in San Myshuno. But what about say going to Willow Creek to go fishing, or Oasis Spring to go to the library, or out dancing in Windenburg, etc? Are we suppose to stay within San Myshuno for the duration of the challenge?
One more questions
And not to be a pain, I know the info's posted on the main page, but it might be a good idea to include the basic rules on each Switch release as well as a reminder. (for example the 250 savings, approved travel locations, ability to control all sims, leaving each apartment furnished as you move up, etc.) I had to flip back and forth to take note about what's allowed and what's not so I could remember in game.
FYI Alora was able to get 1500 on the first day just from selling abandoned paintings on the easel. I decided to start my save over because she wasted too much time already. (it won't affect my story though). I'll keep an eye on those earnings from the paintings and let you know what I discover. So far she was able to sell everything until someone left a masterpiece worth 1500+, on that painting she only had the option to buy it. Then the next couple of paintings she couldn't sell either, but then the ones after that she could sell. Maybe selling them is tied into the skill level of the painter that left it behind? Who knows.
Ok done rambling... And thanks again for coming up with such a great challenge and sharing it!! I'm really enjoying it so far.
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
@AllieMac A fun start! Glad to see you decided to blog it!
@illusie I laughed at you finding a way to explain selling off the street paintings.. Good start!
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My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
No, you're welcome to travel for fishing or dancing or libraries or whatever. The other neighborhoods are fair game to be traveled to. If you want you can restrict travel to them, but it will make the challenge more difficult.
Studio apartments would be fine. Just so that the apartment is in a "finished" state. I.E. all the walls painted, a place to sleep, a kitchen, etc. Something that would be good for another sim to move into when you leave. Decorations are left up to you, so long as they're in the range of the target value for the apartment.
I kind of expected the flipping back and forth, I didn't want to have to update info in more than two places (here and on my blog). I've already found one thing I'll need to change here based on my playing Switch Two, but it shouldn't affect anything any of you have started. More on that in a second. I can add the main rules here, though, if you really think I should.
Great start! I hadn't thought about it, but maybe selling the paintings does hinge on whether you have high enough skill to sell them. That would make sense based on things I've seen, too.
I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
Also, added @AllieMac 's and @illusie 's stories to the links above.
I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
Reminder of general challenge rules (bolded like your other topic points in the rules)
then include a link to the relevant place(s) the basic rules could be found.
Then you wouldn't have to update it per switch and your players won't accidentally overlook a rule or have to dig through multiple pages. Again just a thought!
Thanks for the clarification on the studio, I thought it would be ok as long as it was fully furnished, decorated, etc. But just wanted to double check.
Hmmm I think I'm going to attempt taking the 'hard-core' route and not travel outside of San Myshuno. I'll let you know how difficult it turns out to be. I expect it to really shake up my playing style. It will make getting aspiration points a lot harder which means I can't stock up on extra traits like I'm gotten accustomed to. We'll see.
I'm hoping to play with Alora some before starting school today. Either she'll have one more 'practice' session or I'll actually begin her journey. Either way, I'll pay close attn to those easels and see if I discover a pattern. (I'll jot down the names of the painters and values. Having a list will should confirm if it's tied into skill levels, etc.)
Thanks for adding my blog!! *whispers* and is it wrong to admit I'm excited to be the first one listed? hehe
Have fun y'all!!
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you used one of the girls from House 007! Great idea. (I'm still so jealous that you've played that house. I'm itching to get my hands on it.) I wasn't able to comment on your blog since I don't have weebly. LOL about the fight over the coffee! That was priceless. I don't think any of my sims have actually gotten into a full blow fight yet. I love what you've done with the bedroom already and can't wait to see how things play out for Brielle.
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
I'm having a great time reading along with your girls' stories. It's so much fun to see what you two come up with! I've been slacking on my challenge. Daughter talked me into playing WoW for a couple days with her, so tonight I definitely have to get back to playing Switch Two so it'll be ready for this weekend. Luckily I was already ahead of the schedule before taking a couple days off, so I'm still okay.
I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
lol Allie, no problem.
Thank you! I thought it would be nice to use on of the sims I made for house 7
I'm actually still playing part 1 of house 7. I am on day 5 of part 1. But you are right, it is so much fun!
She didn't even start that fight, that guy did...it was very unexpected when he attacked her.
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As for Apartment Switch, my normal play-through just moved into the final apartment on the second Switch, so they're moving right along. They're practically "lawn living", though.. so getting enough to decorate the whole place should be interesting. Their heir is still a toddler, though, so they have plenty of time. I'm so used to playing in tiny apartments now that this one feels like a palace!
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My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
I think I'm going to play the drifter challenge tonight, though I'm really looking forward to move my sim to apartment 2.
It is fun to decorate the apartments. I made a list of interior themes/styles and use random.org to choose a random theme. For the first theme I had random color, which was a light / mint green colour. I hope for appartment 2 the theme is doable, my theme is animals. I know there is a zebra rug so I'll definitely use that but I have no idea what other items there are.
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I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general
The 'hard-core' route is definitely CHALLENGING, but so far I've managed to stick with it. I have quite a few screenshots saved up and should start writing earnestly by tomorrow night at the latest. I might do one more play session tonight first.
Thanks again @IllusoryThrall for nudging me in a new direction! I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
@illusie LOVE the thought of random themes for the apartments!!! What a great idea. Kinda reminds me of the misc section of the Random Legacy Rules.
Also, I noticed a few small changes that needed to be made to Alora's introduction and ended up expanding on it quite a bit (but not a ton!). So if anyone is interested in giving it a re-read...
Revised version of The Trials of Miss Alora Darcy
Drifter Challenge Blog: https://alliemacsims.wordpress.com/
I now stream the Sims 4 on Twitch!
My Discord Server - A place to discuss my challenges, or the Sims in general